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Sunday, June 19, 2011

In May of 2010, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles featured a small article on Atlanta based author Emily Giffin, timed to promote her latest novel, Heart of the Matter. I am a fan of Emily’s books (including two of my favorites, Something Borrowed and Something Blue), and have met her on a few occasions as our children attend the same school. When reading the article, I remember being quite intrigued with a glimpse of what appeared to be Emily's house.

The article was primarily about Emily and her new novel, not about Emily’s house, so there was only one picture to study. One of my favorite designers, Beth Webb, was responsible for the interiors, and the image provided a tantalizing peek into one of her projects. The art on the window is quite avant-garde, and the small glimpse of the decor looked intriguing. It left me wishing I could see more of the house (as well is piquing my interest in Emily’s book!).

A few months ago, I heard some real estate buzz that Emily and her family had purchased a house in Buckhead, so I checked on the real estate listings to see whether her old house was listed – and it was. For a house aficionado like me, it is incredibly gratifying to be able to see inside a house that I have been curious about, and seeing the interiors of Emily’s house on the MLS was like hitting the jackpot of real estate listings. It is a beautiful and gracious house, and the decor is casually elegant and quite inspirational. I wasn’t planning a post about the house (respecting Emily’s privacy), however, given that the Wall Street Journal featured her house last week, and Emily is discussing the selling process on her Facebook page, I thought it would make an interesting tour!

The house is located in Brookhaven, one of the most charming residential areas in Atlanta. The style is traditional and beautifully symmetrical, and has one of my favorite features on a home, a porte cochere (a porch like structure on the side entrance of a house). My new house has a porte cochere, and I anticipate parking there most of the time!

A view from the front door through to the back of the house – the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles picture was taken in the room that can be seen in the distance. I always like having an axial view from the front of the house through to the back, so this floorplan is quite pleasing to me.

A closer view of the living room. Perhaps the art was taken off the window for the real estate photos, but I must admit that I prefer the window unobstructed (I also appreciate the urn that can be seen in the garden at the end of the view). I love the new orange lampshades, which beautifully reflect the colors in the paintings on the wall. The painting on the right appears to be by Jean Glenn, one of my favorite artists. I have been keeping my eye on her work, waiting for the perfect piece for the new house.

A clean lined white kitchen, with great looking light fixtures, is a defined space yet also connected to the family room.

The family room has a lot of architectural character, with its detailed fireplace surround and coffered ceiling. Note how the opening of the built-in to the right of the fireplace reflects the shape of the door to the left of the fireplace. The family room opens up to the covered patio through double doors, creating a pleasing indoor-outdoor feel to the space.

A different view of the same space. I really like those chairs flanking the fireplace – the curve of the arms is beautiful.

I always love a blue bedroom (my own bedroom has been various shades of blue for 15 years), and I find this bedroom to be particularly attractive. The bedside tables are pretty – anyone recognize them? I also love how the triple window was handled, with the roman shades that are outlined with a contrasting color – this is exactly what I have in mind for the triple windows that are in my oldest daughter’s new bedroom.

I first saw this picture soon after I wrote my post on childhood bedrooms, and thought that it was the perfect balance of the sweetness and simplicity that are ideal in a child’s room, with elements that will carry through as the child grows. The bedding appears to be Serena & Lily, and the art above the bed is by another favorite artist of mine, Christy Kinard. I love that Emily has incorporated such wonderful art into her daughter’s bedroom.

This charming bedroom belongs to Emily’s twin sons.

The property features a guest house, and I suspect that this might be a bedroom in the guest house, although I am not certain. It is a soothing and tranquil space for a guest wherever it is located!

The yard is largely hardscape, and is quite striking. It reminds me of the yards that are often found in Georgetown, and as Emily notes on her FB page, it really reduces the amount of mowing that must be done!

This perspective of the house emphasizes the courtyard feel of the back, and the ‘L’ shape of the house.

I hope you enjoyed this tour – I certainly loved getting a view into this great house, and often find real estate listings to be more gratifying to study than magazine features; a more complete inside and outside perspective of a house can be gained.

I live around the corner, and find it interesting how the camera lens makes the house look so far back from the road. It is not right on the road, but it is not set back as far as the picture makes it look. It is one of the prettiest houses on the street, and priced very well.

Very pretty and sweet looking, kind of like her books. Just finished "Love the one you're with" and have read most of her others.....very pretty home. Love the backyard and it really does remind me of how many brownstones and townhomes treat their backyards...lovely!!

I love it when you do MLS listings of Atlanta houses. The houses are so beautiful, the interior design always gracious and the lush landscaping amazing. The houses are always an inspiration to me. Thanks for sharing!

the comment about "rich husbands" is incredibly rude and condescending. i hope whoever wrote it realizes that this woman has sold over 10 million copies and counting of her bestselling books, and just had a movie adaptation released. she has certainly earned every bit of success that has come her way and i think it's safe to say that she contributes quite a bit to the household income. i can never understand those who try and begrudge others their success - jealousy is an ugly thing!

Brookhaven is good about the houses being close the street. Not right on the street but they can't really hide. You can see them all. The curvy driveway and porte cochere give the front a dymanic look. Keeps my eye moving around. Atlantan's should do a drive-by. One of my very faves in the neighborhood is 6 houses west and across the street. But I have a lot of faves in Brookhaven.

The yard is a big selling point to me. In my area of Houston, it is very common to fully landscape the backyard with pavers - that is the norm, not the exception. Based on what I have seen on your blog, it does not seem to be as common in Atlanta?

What a great tour for a couple of reasons. One, the house is really, really lovely and fantastic. The perfect combination of comfortable and "done"! I'd buy it in a heartbeat, if my husband would agree to work from Atlanta instead of nyc!

And, I loved reading Emily's book Something Borrowed! She's a talented writer.... I look forward to what she writes next!

nice post! i have been admiring Emily's house since i read about it in the Wall Street Journal. it is so beautiful... and i have never seen a house that i felt i could just move right into... and change nothing! an additional FYI... the art above the boys beds was designed by ME! "retro boy" wall art by Shelly Kennedy/ drooz studio for Oopsy Daisy fine art for Kids.

Holly,To date, this is my all time favorite post! My book club read Emily's books (just for fun) and we also did a girl's night out to see the movie "Something Borrowed." Her home is beautiful and to think she wrote those amazing romantic comedies in that pretty space! Love it. M.

Gorgeous house! This house has the appeal of her wrighting, I read one that my friend Steph lent me, as books in Eng. are difficult to find here. This is an elegant, perfect and charming home, I so enjoyed the tour, thank you for sharing it with us. I could live in this house right now, I'm picky and got my own taste, but this one's got me!! Stunning! Lots of hugs, FABBY

I think the art mounted on the window was just a misguided photo stylist's idea of what would make it an interesting picture. Actually, it is a distraction and ruins what would otherwise have been a good portrait of the author.

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